British Pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Preacher Urges Queen Elizabeth II On Her Platinum Jubilee To Embrace Islam To 'Save Herself From Hellfire'

The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here. 

On June 2, 2022, London-based pro-Islamic State (ISIS) preacher Anjem Choudary posted a message on his blog addressed to Queen Elizabeth II, which calls on her to "Embrace Islam and save yourself from the hellfire!" The message came as the United Kingdom and the commonwealth of former British territories celebrate the queen's Platinum Jubilee to commemorate her coronation on June 2, 1953.

Choudary suggests that the platinum Jubilee celebrations offer "a chance for us all to consider what this institution represents and what Islam says about it." Noting that under British law, the queen is considered "the supreme head of the nation, the supreme governor of the Church of England and defender of the faith," and as such must give her "royal consent" to all laws passed by Parliament, the jihadi preacher writes that the British monarchy is similar to many monarchies throughout history, which all "arrogate to themselves a status by birth above all their citizens and are considered privileged above the rest of the people."

Choudary asserts that this status is "in direct contrast to Islam where sovereignty and supremacy belong solely to Allah" and which believes, as the Prophet Muhammad said, that "there is no difference between an Arab or non-Arab, black or white person, except for piety." Advancing a Salafi-jihadi conception of Islam, Choudary declares that "the foundation of the belief of a Muslim entails declaring that there is nothing truly worthy of worship, following or obedience except Allah" and that a Muslim accordingly must not "worship any object or follow any ideas or obey any laws/people except for Allah alone and what his Messenger Muhammad brought of guidance."

The jihadi cleric notes that the Prophet Muhammad and the early Muslims "invited the kings in their own times to give up their false claims to sovereignty and authority and accept the governance of Islam under Muslims who rule by what Allah has revealed" and warned them of "the consequences in this life and the next" that they would face if they refused to embrace Islam. He quotes from the letter which Muhammad is said to have sent to Byzantine Emperor Heraclius: "If you become a Muslim you will be safe – and God will double your reward, but if you reject this invitation of Islam you will bear the sin of having misguided your subjects." Following Muhammad's example, Choudary writes: "We Muslims similarly invite all those who respect or accept sovereignty to anyone other than Allah to give up their false claims and embrace Islam and save themselves and their families from the hellfire."

To bolster his appeal to the queen, Choudary quotes a hadith to which he adds his own commentary: "Whoever sees a governor among you committing oppression, violating the sanctity of Allah (such as the Queen), dishonouring almighty Allah, governing by other than what Allah has revealed (i.e. manmade laws) and he does not raise his voice or act against him: Allah pledges that he will put them together on the day of judgement."

The inflammatory Choudary, who was convicted of terrorism charges in the UK in 2016 and spent time in prison until 2018, stated in a 2010 television interview that if Britain came under the rule of shari'a – a goal which Choudary tried to advance through the Islam4UK organization which he headed – the monarchy would be abolished and Buckingham Palace might be converted into a mosque.[1] The jihadi preacher also reportedly said in 2009 that under the rule of shari'a, which he predicted would become the law of the land in the UK "in ten or 15 years' time," Queen Elizabeth, like all British women, would be required to "be covered from head to toe, only revealing her face and hands," and would be punished if she violated these rules.[2]